Joe McDonagh Cup Round One
Saturday, Corrigan Park, 2pm

By Michael McMullan

RETAINING their Division One status was “massively important” for Antrim’s development insists former defender Aaron Graffin.

The Cushendall man also points to the importance of a run in the Joe McDonagh Cup that begins with the visit of Offaly on Saturday.

Booking a place in the final would secure a qualifying spot in the race for the Liam McCarthy Cup later in the summer.

Manager Darren Gleeson could be without the injured Neil McManus for this weekend’s clash and would be a “setback” as Antrim aim for a win over the Faithful County after also coming out on top in the crunch relegation play-off. Offaly did win the other clash this year in the pre-season Walsh Cup.

“Without McManus, or somebody like him, as a ball winner up there, they might have to change how they go about it,” said Graffin, who is four days younger than McManus and was forced to park the inter-county game due to injury in 2018.

Graffin feels the pace in Antrim’s attack with “fast and explosive” players can give Offaly something
different to contend with and that hopefully they have the firepower and the defensive prowess to turn Michael Fennelly’s side over.

“Any time they go well, they are coming from deep breaking lines with boys coming off the shoulder,” he said.

The week on week nature of the McDonagh Cup, that has an Ulster derby with Down in the mix, demands a winning start almost and Graffin feels the Saffrons’ league season will stand to them.

Having been in Nowlan Park to witness their clash with Kilkenny he spoke of a “lull” that left their late fightback being in vain.

There was the humdinger against Waterford when a late penalty save denied Antrim a share of the spoils against the eventual champions.

“The league Antrim is in is highly competitive so it is massively important so that’s what Antrim put a huge emphasis on,” said Graffin.

Without a win and bottom of Division 1B, Antrim needed to beat Offaly to stay up.

Graffin didn’t feel there was pressure going into that game; it was more the “anticipation” of getting a proper performance.

“The league is so important for development and dropping down would be a step backward,” he said, stressing the need for an unbroken spell in the top flight to really develop and next year is about try to repeat their 2021 campaign of turning teams over.

“Those (2022) performances build a lot of confidence within a squad, but is not good having the moral victories and still getting beat; you need to be seeing those games out.”